Machine Of Evil
by Ishty
Summary: A beam back in time sends shock waves though the team. - Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, Humor and a tiny bit of Sci-Fi. -plays in season7- -sort of a kidfic-
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own NCIS. Machine is mine though.

* * *

**(Warehouse, outskirts of D.C.)**

"Just a minute," the scientist said, grumbling to himself.

"Sorry, we don't have a minute," wise assed Tony, holding his NCIS badge up.

"The door was locked!"

"Not anymore," Ziva butted in as she pocketed her lock picks.

"What do you guys want?"

"Nice car, big house, money, just to name a few things," joked Tony dryly.

"Where were you yesterday evening, around 5 pm," Ziva asked, giving Tony a small smile.

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Cause she has a gun and would like to use it on you. Now answer her," Tony remarked.

"I was here."

"Alone?" Ziva inquired.

"Yes. The whole day."

"That's strange, cause your partner, who by the way has turned up dead this morning, was seen leaving this facility around 4:50 pm," Tony pointed out.

"I haven't seen him since two days," the doctor stated, fumbling with the controls of one of his machines.

"_Looks like a canon,"_ Tony thought inwardly, _"And he's playing with it... Oh shit!"_

Before the senior field agent could have reacted, the machine sprung to life.

"Ziva!" Tony screamed alarmed as his partner was hit by the strange orange beam of light the machine emitted.

"Ow," unable to move away from the beam, the Israeli sagged to the floor and lost consciousness.

Tony reacted instantly. He sprinted the few meters to his partner and pulled her away from where the beam had kept hitting her.

Quickly checking Ziva's breathing and finding it shallow but there, Tony concentrated on the scientist.

"Stop!" he told the fleeing doctor.

"What the hell was that!" He angrily demanded. The scientist just gave him a smug smile.

"You'll see," the doctor laughed as Tony cuffed him to a table leg.

However any reply died in Tony's throat when he heard a soft moan coming from the direction of where his partner still lay on the floor. His anger momentarily forgotten, he rushed over to Ziva ad knelt beside her.

The agent's eyes skimmed for any visibled injury. "Shh, lie still," he tried to soothe his friend, concerned.

Though Ziva had none of it and struggled into a sitting position.

"What happened," she asked confused.

"'Doc Evil', over there, started the machine up," Tony quietly told her as he motioned to the other side of the room, "It's beam hit you and you lost consciousness."

"How do you feel?"

"Dizzy," Ziva told him after a moment of hesitation.

"We should take you to the ER. Let you get checked out."

"No."

"Ziva..." Tony sighed disapprovingly.

"Ducky can do that too, yes?"

"You sure?"

"Yes." She slowly nodded.

"'K, just give me a minute to call local PD. There's no way I'll let that dirtbag get near you. PD can take him back to the Navy Yard."

* * *

After the police officer finally had showed up and secured the doctor, Tony and Ziva were on their way back themselves.

"Hey Sweetcheeks, you still with me?" Tony asked his partner, who due to feeling sick, had opted for reclining on the backseats of their car.

"Hm.."

"We'll be there soon."

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow, I never expected so many reviews and alerts. Thx you! Let's see if you'll still like the story idea after this chapter ;o)

_**

* * *

Previously**_

"_Hey Sweetcheeks, you still with me?" Tony asked his partner, who due to feeling sick, had opted for reclining on the backseats of their car._

"_Hm.."_

"_We'll be there soon."_

* * *

A few minutes went by till Tony finally shut the car engine off.

"We're here, Sweetcheeks. Rest is over," he smiled.

As he got no reply, the senior field agent turned to his partner.

"What the hell..."

Tony was too shocked to form any words. Hurriedly getting out of the car, he opened the backdoor.

"Ziva?" He hesitantly asked.

Instead of being greeted by his partner's slim body, he saw a much smaller form resting on the backseats.

Tony carefully brushed a strand of brown curly hair from the person's face.

"_That can't be," _he muttered under his breath.

His thoughts were interrupted as a pair of brown eyes carefully studied him.

"Hey," he whispered non-threatened.

As the small girl in front of him didn't showed any recognition of knowing or understanding him, Tony opted for smiles and non-threatening gestures.

* * *

"McGee! Where's the boss?"

"Vance' office," stuttered McGee surprised at his partner's sullen mood.

"Who is this?" he asked bewildered, pointing to the child in Tony's arms.

"Not now," growled Tony as he hurried to the Director's office.

* * *

"Hey Cynthia. Bye Cynthia," the senior field agent greeted as he passed the secretary's desk.

"Agent DiNozzo, you can't go in there!" She protested.

However Tony was already through the door.

"Director, I'm sorry. He..." she started to apologize.

"Agent DiNozzo?" Vance asked, holding a hand up to quiet Cynthia's apology.

"That's complicated," Tony started, shifting his cargo to get a better hold on the small girl.

"We're waiting," glared Gibbs.

"Boss, Boss-Boss," Tony stuttered nervously.

"_They'll never believe it. More like throw me into a cozy pillowed cell and get rid of the key. I can't believe what I'm about to say either,"_ thought Tony, while running through different possibilities to explain the situation.

"Do I need to slap you?" growled Gibbs.

"No boss," Tony hastily said, "Ziva and I ran into some kind of trouble when we went to interview Dr. Mexler."

"What kind of trouble? Where is David?" Gibbs inquired. His gut already telling him that it couldn't be good.

"The Doctor went all mad on us and started one of his machines. Local PD will bring him here soon."

Tony paused a moment, meeting the eyes of the other two men, who looked at him expectantly.

"As for Ziva. Well... She's here... In this room right now... You know," babbled Tony.

Gibbs, who didn't appreciated his agents becoming a mass of stutter, glared at him.

"Boss, I don't know how this is possible. But this," Tony explained looking at the small kid in his arms, "IS Ziva."

"NCIS is not the right environment for such a joke, Agent DiNozzo!" Vance barked.

"It's none! When we interviewed the doctor he started some kind of machine. It's beam hit Ziva and she lost consciousness for a few minutes. I was able to subdue the doctor, called the locals and then made my way over here with Ziva. She wasn't feeling well but didn't want to go to the ER. She was resting on the backseats while I drove. When I looked at her again I found her like this!"

During Tony's troubled explanation Gibbs had approached him and started to study the kid in his agent's arms. The louder the people in the room became the more she tried to hide in the jacket Tony had wrapped around her small frame. Leaving only a mass of curly brown hair and a set of bare feet visible as she leaned into his agent's chest, holding on for dear life.

"Hand her over to me," Gibbs quietly ordered.

"She didn't seem to recognize me or what I say," spoke Tony softly as he pried the girls hands of from where she had clutched his shirt.

"It's ok, kid. He won't hurt you," he soothed as Gibbs took the now shivering girl away from him.

"Director, I can't believe it myself! But how else can this girl appear out of nowhere in a moving car? Dressed in Ziva's clothes and where is Ziva when this isn't her?" Tony justified his actions in despair.

"Calm down, Tony. I believe you," Gibbs spoke up again.

"Agent Gibbs," Vance exclaimed, turning to the team leader who now sat on one of the couches in Vance's office.

"Look at her, Leon. She looks like a small Ziva to me," stated the gray-haired agent and gently turned the kid on his lap to face the other men.

**TBC...**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Oh well... only 3 reviews, I guess some people lost interest in this story. This chapter is for those who have reviewed Chapter 2 then =) _**  


* * *

Previously**_

"_Agent Gibbs," Vance exclaimed, turning to the team leader who now sat on one of the couches in Vance's office._

"_Look at her, Leon. She looks like a Mini-Ziva to me," stated the gray-haired agent and gently turned the kid on his lap to face the other men._

* * *

"That's ..." barked Vance.

"Not possible? Not logical? Absolutely nuts?" exclaimed Tony frustrated.

"Keep it down, both of you," stated Gibbs earnestly, "You're scaring her," he growled as he let the small girl curl into him again.

"Whoever this kid is, she needs some proper clothing," remarked Vance more quietly, his gaze shifting to the gray shirt the girl wore.

"I'll take care of it," remarked Gibbs, standing up with 'Ziva' in his arms, "After I have brought her to Ducky."

"Don't forget to let him draw some blood. Ms. Scuito will need it for a DNA analysis."

"No, Leon. I'll forget about it," replied the gray-haired agent sarcastically.

Tony smirked.

"Come on, DiNozzo."

"On your six, boss!"

* * *

**(Elevator - On the way to autopsy)**

"Where are the rest of her clothes?"

"In the car," Tony answered subdued as he stroke the girl's back in what he hoped to be a soothing motion.

"Bag and tag them. Abby needs to run tests on them."

"Yes, boss."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said expectant.

"I should have watched her back, Boss," Tony said dejected.

Gibbs just stared at him.

"You would slap me, if you could," stated the senior field agent.

"Ya think?" smirked Gibbs as he left his agent behind in the elevator.

* * *

**(Abby's Lab)**

"Tony, those are Ziva's!"

"Yeah."

"What... Don't tell me that..." Abby's voice trembled.

"She's... Abby, I don't know what she is at the moment," Tony hugged his friend, "Look Gibbs will be down here soon to explain everything to you. Okay?"

"I think so," nodded Abby against his chest.

* * *

**(Autopsy)**

"Duck," Gibbs tried to get the attention of his friend.

"Jethro, to what do I own the pleasure of your visit?"

"Kid needs be checked."

Ducky, till now busy with his reports, turned around for the first time since Gibbs came into his domain.

"Oh my," stated Ducky and worriedly went over to where Gibbs tried to set the little girl down on one of the autopsy tables.

"Maybe it's better if you have her sit on your lap, Jethro."

Silently agreeing Gibbs took a seat on the metal table, keeping a firm hold on the young girl, he motioned for Ducky to go on.

"Seems like she doesn't want to be examined," smiled the older M.E. as the girl tried to squirm around into the save embrace of the team leader.

"She's frightened. Vance shouting having done the rest."

"I see," mumbled Ducky as he walked back to his desk.

"Diversion always helps," smiled the M.E. and gave his patient an extra stethoscope to play with while he listened to her heart and lung.

"That's my stomach, kid," laughed Gibbs and readjusted the stethoscope over his heart. Glad that the stethoscope perked her up a little.

His small companion looked wide-eyed at him.

"Cool, huh?" Gibbs grinned and gently ruffled her hair.

Engrossed in her new toy she didn't noticed Ducky drawing some of her blood before he was nearly done.

However the amount of time she noticed it, was enough to make her whimper pitiable.

"All done, my dear," smiled Ducky.

"I won't be on her good list, I fear," the M.E. told his friend as he watched Gibbs pulling the little girl closer to him, whispering soothing words to her.

"I'm sure you can win her over with some candy," smirked the team leader as Ducky laughed, too.

"Duck, can you check her ears? I think she has problems hearing."

"Of course."

A few unsuccessful tries to check her ears later, Ducky finally managed to get a clear view.

"You were right, Jethro. Her eardrums are both cracked. Luckily they seem to be healing already. I'll give you some antibiotics and painkillers for her. You should wait with admistering them till you got Abby's report, though."

"I wonder how that happened," muttered Gibbs as he looked down at his companion, who was gazing back at him. Wet tear tracks still visible on her little face.

Not knowing what induced him to do it, he started to sign to her, 'You are safe. I won't let anyone hurt you.'

When her little hands went to work too, he was momentarily shocked.

'Promise?' She signed.

Only Ducky's sharp intact of breath brought Gibbs back to the presence.

'Yes,' he signed before sharing a look with his friend.

"Communication shouldn't be a problem anymore," remarked Ducky as the agent nodded.

"You got a measure tape lying around? We need to get her some real clothes."

A few whimpers, attempts of escape and squirms later, they were finally finished with everything.

About to leave autopsy Gibbs turned around once more.

"Does she reminds you of someone, Duck?"

"Well she has a striking resemblance to our Ziva. Why?"

"I'll tell you later," promised Gibbs, leaving his friend confused behind.

**TBC...**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Previously**_

_About to leave autopsy Gibbs turned around once more._

"_Does she reminds you of someone, Duck?"_

"_Well she has a striking resemblance to our Ziva. Why?" _

"_I'll tell you later," promised Gibbs, leaving his friend confused behind._

* * *

"What you got, Abs?"

"Gibbs!" Abby rushed to her boss but stopped shortly in front of him, "Aww, she's cute! Who is she?"

The goth started to fuss over the small girl, who desperately tried to hide from the strange woman.

Tony and Gibbs exchanged a brief look.

"Hope you could tell me, Abs." The gray-haired agent replied nonchalant, "I need you to run a DNA analysis on her blood."

"Oh, okay," Abby frowned momentarily before taking the blood samples out of Gibbs' hand and going over to her 'babies' to start the analysis.

Tony choose the moment to walk over to his boss and most likely shrunk partner.

"How is she?"

"Healthy, except two cracked ear drums."

"She can't hear us?" Tony asked as he helped the girl adjust the stethoscope over his heart, similar to Gibbs' actions before.

"Not clearly enough. She obviously hears something when listening to the stethoscope. I discovered that she knows sign language."

"Really? But if she's our Ziva, then that doesn't make any sense. Ziva can't sign, can she?"

Tony asked quietly as he watched the girl in Gibbs' arms happily play with the stethoscope.

"There's obviously more than meets the eye. She might just hid this fact from us," replied Gibbs slightly annoyed.

Both agents cringing inwardly at the mention of more secrets on Ziva's part.

"Could Ducky estimate her age?"

"About three. Soon four if the birthday matches with our time." Gibbs whispered, slightly rocking back and forth, lulling the small girl in his arms to sleep.

* * *

"My babies are working. Now would someone tell me what is going on?" Abby pouted.

"Isn't this the shirt Ziva wore this morning?" she narrowed her eyebrows.

"Uhm... yes it is." Tony admitted.

"Gibbs! Tony!"

"Tell her DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered quietly.

"We think, that this," Tony pointed to the sleeping child, "IS Ziva."

"How can this be?" whispered Abby.

"_Déjà-vu,"_ thought the agent and was about to start another round of explanations when Gibbs jumped in.

"Some machine, while Tony and Ziva tried to interview a suspect."

As she heard this Abby glared at the senior field agent, who took a step away from her in response.

"Not DiNozzo's fault," stated Gibbs sharply and gave his agent a pointed glare of his own.

"_Don't need an agent who wallows in self pity right now,"_ thought the team leader grimly.

"So what do we do with Mini-Ziva?"

"Mini-Ziva?" Gibbs asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well, what name can we can call her otherwise to separate her from Grown-Up-Ziva?"

"Abby has a point there, boss," smirked Tony.

Gibbs was quick to glare at his agent.

"Never mind, boss."

"She doesn't seem to recognize any of us. And if this is Ziva, I doubt she'll be able to understand us just yet. Added to the fact that she's temporally deaf." Gibbs read Abby into what they had found out till then.

"We, I mean you and the boss could try communicating with her through sign language," proposed Tony.

"Ziva can't sign!"

"Kid can," remarked Gibbs.

"But, ..."

"We know, Abs."

"How did she hurt her ear drums," wondered the scientist.

"Explosion," Vance stated from the doorway.

"Director."

"I accessed Agent David's file when you left my office. It states that she was caught in an explosion at the age of three."

"Explains the cracked eardrums," Gibbs stated, tightening his hold on the little girl.

Vance nodded in affirmation of the new piece of information.

"Doctor Mexler is in Interrogation 2."

"Alright," Gibbs nodded grimly, "Abby see what you can find out. DiNozzo, take … Mini-Ziva ... with you," he ordered, transferring the small girl back into Tony's arms, "Get information on the doctor and what projects he's involved with at the moment."

**TBC...**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Previously**_

"_Alright," Gibbs nodded grimly, "Abby see what you can find out. DiNozzo, take … Mini-Ziva ... with you," he ordered, transferring the small girl back into Tony's arms, "Get information on the doctor and what projects he's involved with at the moment."_

* * *

**(Elevator)**

"I couldn't stop thinking about Ziva knowing sign language and not telling us," Tony broke the silence between them.

"And?"

"When she came to NCIS there was this situation in Abby's lab. Abby was signing something to you."

"Uh-huh," muttered Gibbs, not really wanting to remember Abby's hateful words.

"Well, if she saw it, and I'm pretty sure she did, cause she was standing beside me and I saw it too, then it would have fueled Abby's dislike of her even more."

"And telling us later would have caused more questions," sighed Gibbs.

* * *

Once back in the bullpen Tony placed the now awoken Mini-Ziva gently on the floor in order to make some phone calls and have a better motion range.

However as he looked back at her he was rewarded with a trembling lip and watery eyes.

"Hey, don't cry," he soothed quietly and picked the little girl up again.

"Guess you don't like to be left on your own, huh?" he mumbled as she snuggled into his chest and fell back asleep.

* * *

**(Interrogation Two)**

Without waiting or introducing himself Gibbs was in Dr. Mexler's face.

"What did you do to my agent!" He barked all military-like.

"I'm pretty sure your female agent has already found out what my machine is possible to do."

"Cut it, you're already in deep shit," growled Gibbs, sitting down opposite of Mexler.

"Oh really?" Dr. Mexler smirked smugly. Milliseconds later he had produced a small tube out of his trouser pocket and had smashed it on the floor.

"What the hell!" Gibbs shot up from his seat.

"This, Agent Gibbs, was your agents only chance to reverse everything."

Furious, Gibbs grabbed the doctor by the scruff of the neck

"Agent Gibbs!" Vance demanded as he came through the door moments later, "Let him go. Now!"

The team leader growled under his breath but let go.

"Yes, be nice Agent Gibbs," laughed Mexler.

"Doctor, till you decided to help us, you'll be locked into a very very small cell. Chained, with no window, no contact. Maybe this will change your attitude," Vance replied darkly.

As two NCIS agents led Mexler out of Interrogation the doctor stopped before Gibbs, a smug smile on his face.

"You might want to check on your male agent."

Gibbs, who has tried to control his anger since Vance had burst into the room, sprinted toward the bullpen.

* * *

When he returned to his desk Gibbs could see Tony leaning back in his chair. His feet were probed on the agent's desk, while the young girl lay securely on his chest.

"DiNozzo," cursed Gibbs and sprinted to his agent.

"DiNozzo!"

"Boss!" Tony sprang to his feet. Only reflex keeping him from dropping the girl to the floor.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked concerned, his eyes skimming over his agent.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"What year do we have?" Gibbs' gut was working overtime.

"2005."

Silence followed.

"What?" Tony asked confused as he saw his boss pained reaction.

"What was our latest case," Gibbs checked again.

"Marine's wife murdered live on the Internet."

"Seems like we got another problem, Agent Gibbs," Vance stated from behind them.

"Boss?"

Tony's confused eyes drifted from his boss, who was pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, to the unknown man, who seem to demand authority where ever he was.

"I'm Director Vance, NCIS."

"You're what?" Tony asked shocked, "Where is Jenny?"

Mini-Ziva, who had been drifting in and out of sleep, choose the moment to demand attention.

"Woah," Tony nearly dropped the little girl in his arms, seeming to have realized her just yet.

Mini-Ziva on her part continued to hold one of her hands out to the team leader, obviously not happy with Tony's change in mood.

"It's a long story, DiNozzo," sighed Gibbs, tugging the whimpering Mini-Ziva to his chest.

"How about you start?"

"My office, Agent DiNozzo," agreed Vance.

**TBC...**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Previously**_

_Mini-Ziva on her part continued to hold one of her hands out to the team leader, obviously not happy with Tony's change in mood._

"_It's a long story, DiNozzo," sighed Gibbs, tugging the whimpering Mini-Ziva to his chest._

"_How about you start?" _

"_My office, Agent DiNozzo," agreed Vance._

* * *

**(Vance office – 1 hour later)**

"So you tell me that my partner was shrunken to a kid, and I somehow ended up younger, too?"

"Sums it up nicely, DiNozzo."

"One giant mess I call it," remarked Vance dryly, refilling his scotch.

"I sent McGee down to Miss Scuito to go over the security feeds from Dr. Mexler's laboratory. Since the doctor worked for the US Army it took me some favors, but his research notes and the machine in question will be brought down to Forensic later today."

"What do we do till then?" Tony questioned.

"For starters, you'll stay awake. Whatever caused this only seems to take effect while the person sleeps," Gibbs ordered.

"Great," muttered the senior field agent unhappily.

* * *

**(Abby's Lab)**

"Only a true genius could invent something like that. It's like fiction become real," McGee ranted exited.

"McGee!" Gibbs angrily shouted, causing the agent to jump and the small child in his arms to whimper.

"Yeah, a genius," muttered Tony behind them.

"Tony, you look... different," stated Abby as she turned around to him after having giving one of her goth dolls to Mini-Ziva in order to cheer the small girl up.

"Thanks, Abs," Tony said, smiling halfhearted at his friend.

"He's affected, too. It's 2005 for DiNozzo," growled Gibbs.

"Oh no, Tony!"

Abby enveloped the senior field agent in a tight hug.

"Can you replay the moment the machine started?"

"Of course, boss," mumbled McGee, still embarrassed.

Together they watched the fateful scene take place.

"There," Abby rewound, played and stopped the tape, "That's when the beam hit Tony too."

"Abigail, can you estimate the time Ziva was caught in the beam and the time Anthony was?" Ducky asked from the doorway.

"Give me a minute," smiled the goth.

"Hey Duck," Gibbs quietly greeted as the M.E. stepped next to him.

"Director Vance informed me about everything."

"I thought he would."

"He also told me about the possible antidote the doctor dropped in Interrogation."

"Idiots from PD didn't checked him for weapons or anything else," growled the team leader.

"An antidote could be reproduced," appeased the M.E. his friend.

"Vance has already ordered for the carpet to be removed."

"It's amazing how fast she seemed to have taken to you, Jethro." Ducky directed the attention back to Mini-Ziva.

Gibbs nodded thoughtfully.

"Boss is a charmer," smirked Tony.

"Anthony, I see your attitude has returned, too."

"What?" Tony was confused, _"Returned? Was it gone?"_

"Got it, Ducky. Ziva was in hit for about 24 seconds. Tony for 20."

"20 seconds?" questioned McGee, "This seems too long."

"Yes, twenty seconds. Look at the light on the machine. It started when the beam appeared and while the beam suddenly stopped the light stayed on. If I estimate the angle and Tony's position, it still hit him in the arm. Which most explains why Tony didn't lost consciousness."

"One second, one year," muttered Ducky, doing the math.

"Wait! That means I should be 16?"

"But you aren't," McGee said.

"Cause I woke him up," replied Gibbs flatly.

"But I don't want to be 16 years old!"

"Aw Tony," cooed Abby.

"You think that he'll re-age further when he sleeps, Jethro?"

"Ziva slept on the drive back to NCIS. DiNozzo a few minutes at his desk. Both were changed afterward."

"Very logical," the older M.E. said more to himself than to the others.

**TBC...**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Previously**_

"_You think that he'll re-age further when he sleeps, Jethro?"_

"_Ziva slept on the drive back to NCIS. DiNozzo a few minutes at his desk. Both were changed afterward."_

"_Very logical," the older M.E. said more to himself than to the others._

* * *

Cynthia, loaded with shopping bags, choose this moment to come into the lab. Abby seeing her first, cleared her lab table. The secretary smiled grateful at her.

"Wow, do you bought half of the store?" Tony asked smirking.

"Those will only last for a maximum of three days," Cynthia frowned at Tony.

"Wh..." Tony was interrupted by a slap to the head.

Not by his boss though, but the 3-year-old girl his boss kept carrying around.

The senior field agent glared accusingly at Gibbs and Abby, who both looked too smug not to have incited the girl to slap him. At the same time Mini-Ziva giggled in joy.

"Small kids, DiNozzo. You can't control them all the time."

"Right boss," muttered Tony, not really angry about it, due to hearing the otherwise silent girl laugh.

Mini-Ziva having become more lively, leaned tentative away from Gibbs' chest to peer into the shopping bags.

Gibbs, anticipating her intention, carefully set her down next to the bags.

'Go on,' he signed.

First carefully and then more spirited the small girl pulled the clothes out of the bags.

While the team looked on, Mini-Ziva sorted through the pile of clothing, building another smaller pile next to her. Finally satisfied with her collection, she started to looked around the room. Her tiny eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"What is she doing," Tony whispered to Cynthia, who was standing closest to him.

"I think she's looking for a place to change," chuckled the secretary.

Gibbs having come to the conclusion already, lifted the small kid from the table and settled her on the floor.

However when Gibbs offered her his hand she shook her hand vehemently.

"You're a boy, Gibbs," laughed Abby and knelt down, offering her hand to the small girl.

The girl's eyes darted from Gibbs to Abby and back. Deciding that Abby wasn't a mean person, she eventually took the goth' hand.

Abby grinned happily as they both disappeared around the corner.

Not hearing that the room behind them burst out laughing.

* * *

**(Bullpen - 2 hrs later)**

When Director Vance entered the bullpen and didn't go upstairs but stopped in front of his desk, Gibbs looked up from his files.

"Leon."

"Thought you could use this."

"A mattress?"

"Along with some other basic kid stuff," confirmed Vance, nodding at the two agents who helped him carry everything upstairs.

"Any reason?" Gibbs asked cautious, not trusting the situation.

"It's late. I doubt people will be able to figure whatever happened out tonight."

"You mean revers it."

"I don't believe in sci-fi, Agent Gibbs," glared Vance, "However, we got one agent missing. A probationary agent who needs to pass the citizenship test of all things. And a kid no one has seen before. The circumstances tell me that we can't give the girl to child care, so she needs to stay with NCIS."

"I wouldn't let them take her, anyway."

"I know. Where's the rest of your team?"

"DiNozzo wanted to make a video for his younger self. McGee is helping him."

"Good thinking of you."

"Not my idea. DiNozzo's," Gibbs told the director dismissively.

"Reminds me, his report?"

"McGee was able to get it of DiNozzo's computer. It's already upstairs on your desk."

"I get a hint when I see one," smirked Vance and left Gibbs alone surrounded by various boxes and toys.

* * *

**(Tony and McGee)**

"... oh and the real you, which isn't me by the way, cause I'm already younger than I should be cause of a short nap I already regret, isn't old! So stop fussing over it. Won't help the situation at all."

Behind the camera McGee had trouble to refrain from laughing.

"I think I've covered everything now. Or not, McSnicker?" Tony glared at his partner. Though soon an evil smile appeared on his face.

"Actually I forgot something! That guy, McGee or as you already know the 'Probie', you and I have other names for him, also. Like: McVirgin, McTardy, McSuperglued, Mc..."

Seconds later the camera was shut off by a horrified McGee.

"That was low, Tony. Really low."

"Hey, I was just informing myself of important facts!"

"That wasn't important!"

"Was!"

"Was not!"

"Was!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Anthony! Timothy! Please show a bit respect for the dead." Ducky interrupted them. When he had agreed to let them film in autopsy he hadn't expected them to start a fight.

**TBC...**


	8. Chapter 8

_**P**__**reviously**_

"_No."_

"_Yes."_

"_Anthony! Timothy! Please show a bit respect for the dead." Ducky interrupted them. When he had agreed to let them film in autopsy he hadn't expected them to start a fight._

* * *

Upstairs in the bullpen, Gibbs' phone rang.

"Gibbs! Why aren't you down here!"

"Abs?"

"I got the blood analysis, what, 5 to 8 min ago? And you aren't here!"

"Calm down, I'll be right there."

* * *

The first thing Gibbs noticed upon entering Abby's lab was the huge blanket, which lay in the corner, under the lab window. Papers and crayons were littering the floor around it.

Gibbs smiled to himself as he saw the occupant of the blanket.

Dressed in dark cargo pants and a white hooded sweatshirt Mini-Ziva lay sprawled on top of Bert. Using the hippo as giant pillow, her small arms were wrapped firmly around the stuffed animal.

"She jumped a mile when she first lay on him and he farted," explained Abby smiling, "I could calm her down and she really took on Bert."

"I'm sure she did," stated Gibbs, smiling too at seeing how peaceful the little girl looked as she slept.

"We did lots of cool experiments, like the one where..."

"Abs," he stopped her ramblings, "It was a good idea. But I should bring her back upstairs, now. It's warmer there and Vance brought a small mattress for her."

"He did?" Abby asked perplex.

"Yeah, Vance might be a pain in the ass sometimes but he's a father."

"Abs. The results?" Gibbs asked after silence had settled over them.

"Sorry, I mean, not sorry-sorry but..."

Gibbs stared at her.

"Right. Ok," bringing the results to the big plasma screen on the wall, she rattled her findings down, "First of all, the kid has definitely the same the blood type as Ziva. While I didn't found anything what could explain her current state, I found a very old type of painkillers in her blood. Along with traces of an antibiotic which isn't produced like that anymore."

"How do you know it's an old kind of medication?"

"The mixture! It's really cool. The medication are basically the same like today but still different and really unique. That's why I could pinpoint it. Actually that's why it took me so long to come up with results, too."

"Good job, Abs," praised Gibbs and kissed her cheek.

* * *

**(Bullpen – 11 pm)**

"Hey boss."

"No desire to sleep, huh?"

"Not really," admitted Tony as he crouched down next to Mini-Ziva.

As Gibbs watched him gently brushing some lose strands of hair out of the little girl's face, Gibbs kept silent, sensing that his senior field agent was needing time to collect his thoughts.

"I want to apologize," sighed Tony finally.

However seeing Gibbs' raised eyebrows he continued, "Rule 6, yeah. But I was a real terror teen. I had no respect to anyone and just wanted to do things my own way, which weren't that good, sometimes. Okay, most of the times... You see the thing is I won't be very cooperative."

"I'll manage, DiNozzo," Gibbs winked at him, before he got serious, "We WILL find something to reverse this."

"Thanks, boss. I guess I should probably go to Conference Room 2. Ducky wanted to set something up there, to monitor everything," Tony stated quietly and left.

When he turned around once more, Gibbs saw the hidden fear in his agents eyes.

"Boss?"

"I'll be there, go to sleep Tony."

"Thanks boss."

A minute later the senior field agent was standing at the end of the team area again.

"You won't sent me away, right?"

"Nope, not even when you burn D.C. down," smirked Gibbs.

"That wasn't me! My crazy cousin thought that we needed a campfire in the middle of the living room!"

"Sure," Gibbs replied absently.

Huffing Tony turned around before a thought struck him.

"You reading my file?"

"Yep."

"And you wanna keep me anyway?"

"Yep."

"Thanks boss. That means a lot to me."

This time Gibbs looked up and watched his senior field agent walk away.

"_I need Abby to plant a tracker on him," _he thought smirking.

**TBC...**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Previously**_

"_And you wanna keep me anyway?"_

"_Yep."_

"_Thanks boss. That means a lot to me."_

_This time Gibbs looked up and watched his senior field agent walk away._

"_I need Abby to plant a tracker on him," he thought smirking._

* * *

**(Conference Room 2)**

"Duck?" Gibbs asked cautiously as he entered the room.

"To see how he turned younger by the second - his features becoming less pronounced. It was amazing to watch, Jethro."

The older agent smiled wryly at his friend before he looked at the teenage boy who lay huddled under a mass of blankets.

As Gibbs saw from the smaller set of clothes next to his agent to Ducky, the older man held up a set of cards, silently asking if they would play to pass the time.

"How's our Ziva?" The M.E. asked after a few rounds of rummy.

"Sleeping. It feels like she has barely done anything else."

"It could be a side effect of the machine or the medication in her blood."

"Yeah."

"Do you noticed her being in any pain?"

"No, though it's Ziva we're talking about. My gut tells me that she wouldn't let us know willingly if she was."

"She just keeps soldiering on," Ducky stated quietly under his breath, "The results of the blood analysis showed that her system is breaking the medications down slower than normally. We'll have to wait."

"McGee and Abby are watching over her."

* * *

**(Conference Room 2 – middle of the night)**

"Gibbs."

'Hi, where do you keep the medication for Ziva?' Abby asked casually.

"Abs?"

There was a sigh on the other end of the line.

'Ziva just woke up. She's fussing. We think that the painkillers finally wore off.'

"I'll be right there."

'No, Gibbs. We got it, just tell me where the meds are.'

"Locked in my desk drawer."

'Oh, okay. I'll just pick it then,' Abby eyed the desk.

"Abby, no. I'll come and give you the key."

'If you show up here Ziva wouldn't want you to go away anymore. She's already asking where you are.'

Frustrated Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose. He had planned to be there when the effect of the medications wore off. On the other hand he couldn't leave Tony at the moment.

"_She's got Abby and McGee with her,"_ he told himself inwardly, silently hoping that his shrunk agent would forgive him.

"Get McGee up here."

'He's on his way.'

"Alright," sighed Gibbs, in the background he could hear Ziva whining.

* * *

Seconds after he hung up the phone the door was opened.

"Hey," whispered McGee.

Gibbs wordlessly threw the key for his desk drawer at him, which McGee caught easily.

"We'll take care of her," promised the agent and closed the door again.

"Meds wore off," stated Gibbs upon Ducky's questioned gaze.

"I was wondering about that."

"I should have been there," growled Gibbs frustrated.

Ducky smiled at his friend and started to deal the cards anew.

* * *

It was shortly after 5 am when the newly de-aged Tony shot upright on his makeshift bed. The two other men silently watched him.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Special Agent Gibbs and Doctor Mallard. You are currently at NCIS Headquarters. Washington D.C.," Gibbs answered, anticipating Tony's next question.

"Why..."

"You should watch the tape, my dear boy," Ducky pointed to the TV rack next to the teenager.

"I'm not your boy," growled Tony.

"Watch it, DiNozzo!"

"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" Tony demanded angrily.

"Your boss! Now watch the damn tape," barked Gibbs and switched the TV and player on.

Tony stared momentarily at the older men before his attention was drawn to the video.

"I hope this works," Gibbs muttered quietly to Ducky as he sat down again.

* * *

The next morning, as Ducky, Gibbs and Tony entered the bullpen they were greeted by the sight of Abby, McGee and Mini-Ziva sitting on the floor, doing a jigsaw puzzle.

Abby nudged the small girl as she noticed the rest of the team arriving.

Although Mini-Ziva looked up from the puzzle, she didn't greet the arriving group. She just kept looking at them through guarded eyes, especially at Gibbs.

_"So much for having the others with her. She definitely not happy," _thought the team leader, inwardly giving himself a head slap.

While the other two men stopped to watched, Gibbs slowly approached his small agent, giving her one of his rare smiles.

However Mini-Ziva went back to the jigsaw puzzle in front of her. To any onlooking persons it would seem as if she ignored the gray-haired agent. Gibbs instead new better and saw how the little girl continually checked his position from out of the corner of her eye.

He wasn't sure if he should be pleased or upset about the fact that she obviously knew from young age to be always aware of her surroundings.

Gibbs was about two meters from her when her full attention finally settled on him again. Though this time her face didn't showed a lack of emotions but an angry scowl. If it wasn't for the fact that he was about to try to rewin the little girl's trust, Gibbs would have laughed out loud.

"_Aw, to hell with it," _he thought and crouched down to the girl's eye level.

'I'm sorry. Forgive me?' he signed and opened his arms, waiting.

Ziva, who had followed his every move, eventually walked over to him. When she finally was within his reach Gibbs wrapped her slowly into his arms.

"_Close call." _He scolded himself.

In the background he was vaguely aware of Abby cooing at the scene he was sure looked strange. In the middle of NCIS headquarters anyway.

Some time went by till he finally stood up again. This time with Mini-Ziva securely held in his arms, stroking her back reassuringly.

Tony looked intrigued at the scene. He wasn't sure what to make out of those strange people. The guy on the TV screen looked remarkably like him. He had shown him pictures of the people in front of him.

He wouldn't have believed it, if it wasn't for the current date or that guy on screen, who knew a lot of his more private memories. In fact Tony was still contemplating if he hadn't tripped about some time travel thing, like in the movie he watched the day before. Maybe it even was all a dream.

"Aw Tony! You look so cute!" Tony was brought back to the present as Abby came closer.

"Abby, right?"

"Yep. The one and only." She smiled brightly at him before enveloping him in one of her bone crushing hugs.

"Uhm.. What are you doing?"

"She likes to hug people."

"Probie?"

"McGee," Tim corrected sharply.

Beside them Abby laughed.

"You older self likes to make fun out of his name," Abby explained.

"And I would appreciate if you didn't," exclaimed McGee.

"We'll see about that," Tony told him smugly, making his partner groan out loud.

"He's going to be worse than his older self," hissed McGee to Abby who hugged him in response, too.

Gibbs was looking over to his bickering team when he felt someone watching them.

**TBC...**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Previously_**

"_You older self likes to make fun out of his names," Abby explained._

"_And I would appreciate if you didn't," exclaimed McGee._

"_We'll see about that," Tony told him smugly, making his partner groan out loud._

"_He's going to be worse than his older self," hissed McGee to Abby who hugged him in response, too._

_Gibbs was looking over to his bickering team when he felt someone watching them._

* * *

There, towering above them on the catwalk, stood the director with a toothpick in his mouth as he observed the scene downstairs.

Gibbs gave him a subtle nod and handed Mini-Ziva to Ducky, much to the little girl's dislike.

'I'll be back. Be nice,' he signed before heading upstairs and following Vance into the director's office.

Meanwhile Mini-Ziva tried to wriggle out of Ducky's arms.

"Alright my dear," the older M.E. finally gave in and set her down.

The young girl's reaction was quicker than Ducky had anticipated and in the moment he had let go of her she dashed away in the direction of the stairs as well.

Though McGee, having watched Gibbs departure, caught on quickly and picked her up as she was about to run past him.

Shocked by the sudden loss of movement Mini-Ziva froze and tensed up.

"Shh, it's okay," McGee smiled gently at her.

The little girl frowned at him and tried to wriggle out of the agent's arms, too.

"Sorry Ziva, can't do."

"She's definitely fixated on Jethro," Ducky came up next to the pair.

Since Mini-Ziva still had very bad memories of the older M.E. she didn't waste time in burying her face in McGee's shoulder as Ducky appeared next to her.

"And she has a good memory, too," he sighed.

"I'm sure she'll get over her … dislike," assured McGee, pausing mid-sentence.

"I doubt it, Timothy."

"Aww, Ducky!" Abby hugged him.

"I might have something that will help me regain her trust," Ducky thought out loud and bid his goodbye.

Meanwhile Tony had started to gently nudge and then tickle the little girl in McGee's arm. This caused Mini-Ziva to buckle and try to get away from the offending hands, giggling all along.

Over Ziva's head McGee and Abby shared an amused glance, while they both thought about how their teammates got along even when they didn't know each other.

* * *

**(Vance Office) **

"As you may have noticed, Ms. Scuito is free of work. Earlier today she managed to find a series of formulas. Therefore SecNav has sent a couple of gen specialists over. They'll take over the work on the possible anti-dote. Given the amount of formulas Ms. Scuito found and the lack of notes to those, it could take a while."

"A while?"

"The leading scientist estimated a time frame from merely a few days to an unknown numbers of months. Apparently some of those formulas are hard to recreate. They only vary in trivia. Also the scientists will start with the most likely formula, it could be the first or last formula."

"Mexler?"

"He has gone on a hunger strike. He won't eat or drink anything till he's released."

"He can wait then," scoffed Gibbs.

"I was also informed that the gen analysis of the girl matched Agent David's. Seeing that Agent DiNozzo turned younger too, there's no doubt left about their identities."

"I hadn't any doubt about that."

"However," Vance continued, completely ignoring Gibbs' comment, "This leaves us with the question of their whereabouts till all this can be reversed."

"There's no question, I won't let them be sent to live with someone they don't know."

"Technically they don't know you, either."

"Except that DiNozzo informed his younger self about the current situation via video message."

"So what do you suggest? You gonna play their guardian?"

Gibbs thought about this.

* * *

**(Bullpen)**

"How did it go?" Gibbs asked as he saw his shrunk agents quietly play together.

"After they stopped wrestling with each other they continued with the puzzle," explained McGee while Abby busied herself with her phone.

"Here!"

"Abs?"

"Just look Gibbs," stated Abby.

As Gibbs took the phone from the over exited goth he had trouble trying to contain his laughter. On the screen he could see how Tony first ran after a giggling Mini-Ziva. When they disappeared around a corner, they reappeared seconds later. This time Tony was being chased by the little girl, faking to be scared and to run at maximum speed.

Moments later he was tackled to the ground, landing clumsily with a thud, with Mini-Ziva on top of him.

This was followed by a full blown tickle fight. Gibbs noticed with pride that his agent was being careful not to be to rough to his partner. The film ended with the pair lying on the floor, laughing and trying to catch their breaths.

Gibbs shook his head, smiling slightly as he gave Abby her phone back.

"I'll film and photograph them, so that they've a lasting memory of this in the end!"

"_I hope they'll return to normal soon,"_ thought the gray-haired agent.

"Have you guys already eaten?"

"Nope - well yes - but only a granola bar," Abby started to ramble, gesticulating widely with her arms, "I don't think that really counts as breakfast, does it?"

"Let's go grab some real breakfast," Gibbs commanded, squeezing Abby's arm gently.

"Pizza?" Tony perked up.

"It's 9 am!" McGee exclaimed shocked.

"Your point?"

"That's disgusting Tony!"

"It's not!"

"Is."

"Not."

"Is."

"Guys!" Abby interrupted them.

"Gibbs is about to leave without you." She said while she walked to the elevator, where the gray-haired agent was already waiting for the car to arrive.

As Abby stopped next to her boss and her shrunken friend, she smiled as she saw their linked hands.

"Guess we need to hurry," commented Tony.

"Yeah," agreed McGee, grabbing his discarded jacket from his desk.

Together they joined the rest of the group, just in time as the elevator was closing again.

**TBC...**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Previously**_

"_Guess we need to hurry," commented Tony._

"_Yeah," agreed McGee, grabbing his discarded jacket from his desk._

_Together they joined the rest of the group, just in time as the elevator was closing again._

* * *

Two hours later the team was back at NCIS headquarter. Much to Tony's delight he got his pizza while the others settled for waffles and pancakes, or crepés with chocolate in them, in Mini-Ziva's case.

As they attacked their food, Vance had called the team leader to inform him that Agent Spencer's team would take over the case, also Team Gibbs was more than welcome to assist.

"If you want to help, I'll ask Spencer to give ya a task," stated Gibbs, referring to their earlier conversation during breakfast.

"Thanks, boss." Tony frowned at using the unfamiliar word.

"Boss won't work in public. Call me Gibbs, alright?"

"Sure."

"_Good, at least I don't need to worry about attracting attention of people outside of NCIS." _Gibbs thought.

"You think that this doctor was telling the truth about the existence of an antidote?" Tony asked quietly as he watched as Gibbs sat the little girl onto his chair, carefully lifting the chocolate-stained shirt over Mini-Ziva's head.

"_Next time I gotta take a change of clothing with me before giving her crépes with nutella in it," _mused Gibbs wryly.

'Here,' the older agent signed, smiling as he gave Mini-Ziva the white hooded sweatshirt to pull on.

"I'm not sure."

"That's not very encouraging... Gibbs."

"I don't sugar coat, Tony."

"Yeah," sighed the teenager deflated.

"Listen Tony, whatever happens next, we'll make the best out of it and the current situation."

"Fine. So what do we do now? Besides waiting."

"I'll debrief with Agent Spencer's team."

"Okay."

"Can you watch over her?" Gibbs asked, motioning to Mini-Ziva who was now drawing on his desk. The content of her pictures made his gut churn but he would have to worry about the girl's state of mind later.

"Sure," the teenager answered in a monotonous voice.

"Tony? I'll keep you in the loop." Gibbs fixed his agent with a stare till he nodded.

* * *

**(Autopsy in front of the elevator)**

"I wouldn't believe it when the director told me first." Spencer shook his head dismissively.

"Took us some time, too."

"You know, Vance made everybody at NCIS sign a document, swearing us to secrecy about your agents current state."

"Agent DiNozzo and David are on a secret under cover op, which can't be interrupted under any circumstances," smirked Gibbs.

"I guess we need to admit that Vance knows how to play the top brass and USCIS," Spencer returned smirking as they stepped into the elevator, "How are they doing?"

"DiNozzo is low in spirits at the moment. Can't blame him."

"Yeah, it must be hard to basically lose your life, even when you only know very little of said life. Waking up and finding out that years have went by. What about Ziva?"

"_I never asked Tony about his last memory,"_ mused Gibbs, promising himself to have a talk with the teenager.

"She seems fine."

"Ah..."

"What?" Annoyed with his colleagues' suggestive tone Gibbs flipped the emergency stop.

"She's clinging to you a lot," observed Spencer.

"Probably glad that someone finally took notice of her. Kid can surely occupy herself but it's obvious that she prefers company and someone to play with."

"You seem more than happy to give her those things."

"Something wrong with that?" Gibbs glared and was about to restart the elevator again when his phone rang.

"Gibbs."

'McGee and I found something in Mexler's notes.'

"Abby, you were supposed to give all notes to the scientists!"

'I did!'

"Abby!"

'I may have copied his hard drive...' the goth responded sheepishly.

"And?" Gibbs anger lessened.

'McGee found a hidden access to another part of Mexler's hard drive. We were able to hack into it.'

"Abs," Gibbs growled impatiently.

'He experimented with a few dozen monkeys! He did this behind the backs of the Army and private investors. His notes say something about a second machine. Due to his description it must be hidden somewhere near D.C., together with the monkey! Mexler wrote that he exposed the poor things to the machine in different time intervals. For every interval he used another set of eight monkeys, four males and females, varying in ages.

He actually noted the...'

"Abby," Gibbs interrupted her, "Did you find anything in regards to the anti-dote?"

'Sort of. While he didn't actually revealed the formula he noted the effects on monkeys who got the anti-dote and who didn't! Gibbs! Those who didn't got an anti-dote changed back to their old selves on their own!' Abby more or less screamed into the phone.

Gibbs breathed a sign of relief, "How long?"

'For Tony and Ziva? We aren't sure. At least five months. McGee is writing a program which sets Mexler's results in comparison of what we know about Ziva's and Tony's transformation. It's a lot of data, so don't expect an answer soon,' Abby warned.

"Good work Abs, tell McGee the same," Gibbs praised and hung up.

Agent Spencer looked expectantly at the other team leader, only having caught bits of the goth's explanation over the phone.

"Abby and McGee found evidence that Mexler has a hidden laboratory somewhere near D.C.. Apparently he experimented on a bunch of monkeys there. Some of the notes state that monkeys have changed back without given an anti-dote," explained the gray-haired agent and restarted the elevator.

Nodding, Spencer called one of his agents, "Check Mexler's file for properties which are big enough to keep half a zoo hidden and which are still close enough to D.C."

"So you'll get your team back, sooner or later," remarked Spencer as he waited for his agent to get back at him with a matching location.

"Yeah."

'There are two properties matching the requirements. One in the outskirts of D.C. the other in Baltimore,' the voice of Spencer's agent filled the small metal car.

"Gear up," ordered the team leader before his gaze fell on Gibbs, "You coming with us?"

"No," Gibbs shook his head and stepped out of the elevator, "I'll update the director."

* * *

**(Director's Office)**

"Since you will be left with half a team you need to pick some replacements." Vance commented after he had listened to the newest developments.

Tony, who Gibbs had collected on his way to the director's office, along with Mini-Ziva, grimaced.

"Temporarily," Vance elaborated at seeing Tony's reaction.

"I'll tell you their names by the end of the week," promised Gibbs and left the office without another word. His two shrunken agents silently following him.

* * *

**(Bullpen - later at the same day)**

"What is it, Ducky?" McGee asked as he subtly adjusted the webcam on his monitor in order to film the following moments.

"Something I wanted to give Ziva as birthday present. However, I don't think she would mind if I give it to her younger self."

Mini-Ziva still eyed the wrapped box, which the older M.E, had placed in front of her.

'You can open it,' signed Abby, having come to sit opposite Ziva in the middle of the team desks. The present between them.

Uncertainly the little girl nudged the packet.

Over their desks Gibbs and Tony silently watched the girl's every move.

**TBC...**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Previously**_

_'You can open it,' signed Abby, having come to sit opposite Ziva in the middle of the team desks. The present between them._

_Uncertainly the little girl nudged the packet._

_Over their desks Gibbs and Tony silently watched the girl's every move._

* * *

**(NCIS Bullpen – same day - 11 pm)**

Gibbs was working on his desk when Agent Spencer approached him.

"We confiscated everything related to the murder on Mexler's property."

"Vance made you deliver all other evidence of the doctor's project towards the gen laboratory," smirked the gray-haired agent knowingly.

"Yeah," Spencer replied bitterly, "It took us forever to sort the evidence out," he stated tiredly, "But we might even have found a motive."

"Which is?"

"They were going to sell the blueprints of their little machine to different countries."

"Who could have used the machine as weapon." Gibbs shook his head, one more time wondering how stupid mankind could be.

"Yeah. You guys stumbled about something big there."

"Wish we hadn't."

"You plan on spending another night here?" Spencer changed the topic, noticing Gibbs' drop in mood.

"Not really having a choice. Vance wants to know how long Ziva and DiNozzo will be like this, without giving an antidote. Before then they aren't supposed to leave the Navy Yard, let alone the building."

"McGee's program," concluded the other agent, "It is still running?"

Gibbs nodded, "McGee said something about a lot of data and factoring all possibilities into it to get proper results. He thinks it will be finished by morning."

"And then?"

"Then Vance needs to give out the agency's credit card," smirked Gibbs, "My house isn't harboring child-friendly furniture. Plus they need more clothes and things that keep them – or at least DiNozzo – occupied, if this takes longer." He gave the stacks of toys for Mini-Ziva a meaningful look.

"Nice thinking," laughed Spencer.

Meanwhile Gibbs caught sight of a bouncing Mini-Ziva, followed by an also smiling Abby.

"All done?" Gibbs asked Abby as he lifted Mini-Ziva onto his lap, smiling down at her.

"Yep. Combed, showered and ready for bed," reported Abby, having taken the little girl to the shower rooms.

"French braid, Abby?" Spencer inquired as he pointed to Mini-Ziva's hair.

"Well, something like that. I'm not good at that kind of braid but I guess it will work for tonight."

"Keeps the hair from knotting," explained Gibbs, taking his glasses out of the little girls hands after she had grabbed them of his desk.

"Yep," beamed the scientist.

"Thanks, Abbs. Why don't you go home and rest. I already sent McGee home."

"Okay," agreed the Goth and gave Gibbs and Mini-Ziva a quick hug before she left to pack her things.

"Where's DiNozzo?" Spencer asked, now realizing the absence of the senior field agent.

"Upstairs, Vance has let him use his office couch as bed."

"Looks like you guys are pretty much settled, I guess I should head home too. My wife is probably already getting impatient."

"See you in a few hours," smirked Gibbs.

"Oh, before I forget it:" Spencer turned back to the agent, "By luck we got enough of the evidence sorted out on Monday afternoon so you can tear Mexler apart."

"Sounds good." Inwardly starting to count the hours of the three days till he could get a hold of the scientists again.

Once alone, Gibbs attention was back on the small child in his lap.

"Time to get you tugged into bed," Gibbs said more to himself than Mini-Ziva as he laid the half asleep girl onto the mattress and covered her with a blanket.

'Good night,' he signed, giving her a wide smile.

"Laila tov," she mumbled as her eyes already closed. Her voice cracking and barely audible, due to having it not used in a while.

"_First time she said something," _the agent smiled to himself before he got comfortable on his chair to catch some sleep himself.

**TBC...**


	13. Chapter 13

_**Previously**_

"_Time to get you tugged into bed," Gibbs said more to himself than Mini-Ziva as he laid the half asleep girl onto the mattress and covered her with a blanket. _

_'__Good night,' he signed, giving her a wide smile._

"_Laila tov," she mumbled as her eyes already closed. Her voice cracking and barely audible, due to having it not used in a while._

"_First time she said something," the agent smiled to himself before he got comfortable on his chair to catch some sleep himself._

* * *

**(Saturday – 9 am)**

The next morning Gibbs and Spencer found themselves once again in Forensic lab.

"Abs!" Gibbs shouted over the loud music, shaking the Caf-Pow in his hand as she finally looked at him.

"Gibbs!"

Abby ran to him and was about to take the cup out of the agent's hand when he held it out of her reach.

"Results?"

"You won't like it," Abby muttered, making a face and inwardly saying goodbye to her beloved Caf-Pow, "The carpet didn't bring up any results. There's nothing!"

"The tube was shimmering blue, Abbs." Gibbs raised his eyebrows, expecting a better answer.

"Whatever was in there," she paused frustrated, "It must have gone into the air before it could sink into the carpet."

"Vance is gonna love to hear that," Spencer muttered.

"Anything else?"

Abby was about to shake her head when the computer beeped.

"You doing your Gibbs' magic again!"

Spencer looked confused at the other team leader, who could only roll his eyes.

"McGee's program is finished," Abby stated proudly.

"And?"

"Second..." She scanned hurriedly over the results.

"Abby!" Both agents exclaimed.

"Jeez, your impatient today," she mumbled silently, earning herself two glares.

"_Sleep deprivation and stress... not good... for any of them,"_ the goth thought smiling.

"Tony should return to 'normal'," she made fake quotation marks with her hand, "In about seven months. Give or take one or two weeks."

"Lots of or," commented Spencer dryly.

"Ziva?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"About the same but adding two to three weeks."

"How so?" Spencer inquired curious of the different results.

"McGee can possible.."

"Good work, Abs," Gibbs interrupted her, handing her the Caf-Pow with a kiss to her cheek.

As Abby watched the gray-haired agent leave her laboratory she happily worked on her daily caffeine dose, at the same time launching into a long explanation of McGee's results.

* * *

**(Bullpen)**

"Nikki?" McGee asked surprised.

"Hello Tim."

"I thought you are on vacation till Monday?"

"I got home last night. When I went through my mail, I found Director Vance's letter."

"So you know what's going on already."

"I thought maybe I could help?"

"Help?" Gibbs inquired, appearing out of nowhere as usually.

"Hello Agent Gibbs," greeted Agent Jardine, receiving a curt nod as response.

"I'm pretty sure that Ziva didn't learned English till she was ten."

Her reply was met with two sets of raised eyebrows.

"We once got on the topic of speaking different languages when Agent DiNozzo had annoyed her for the x-times about always butchering idioms."

Gibbs smirked as he rummaged through some files on his desk.

"When she starts to hear again, I'll contact you," the gray-haired agent called over his shoulder, already on his way to the elevator.

"What does he mean?" Jardine turned to McGee.

"Ziva's ear drums are both cracked."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

* * *

**(Abby's Lab)**

After a long heated discussion Vance had finally given in and had handed Gibbs a credit card in order to take care of his two momentarily young agents.

The gray-haired agent was now on his way to collect them. When he walked through the doorway he immediately spotted Tony swirling around in Abby's office chair, obviously bored. Stepping further into Abby's domain, he saw Mini-Ziva sitting on the goth's lab table, happily munching some cookies, while dangling her legs of the table.

"You guys ready?" Gibbs asked and signed into the direction of his agents.

"Finally," exclaimed Tony and hurried from Abby's office to the rest of the group.

At the same time Ducky had entered the lab. The older M.E. smiled kindly at Mini-Ziva. Since he had given her the early birthday present she wasn't afraid of him anymore, even offered him one of the cookies, which he gratefully accepted.

"Hey Ducky!"

"Abigail, I've got the tissue samples of Commander Nelson."

"Oh, right." She quickly took the jar out of the older man's hand and went to one of her machines.

"Mister Palmer is on vacation," he explained, upon Gibbs questioning look why he was delivering the samples himself.

"The Director allowed you to leave?" Ducky inquired as he saw the gray-haired agent holding the kids' jackets.

"Yep."

"How do you plan to house them? As far as I'm aware you don't have enough rooms for both of them."

"I get my own room, right?" Tony asked, having overheard their conversation and now fearing to be roomed with a three-year-old girl.

"Yes, Tony." Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"Sweet."

"He can have the spare room, we just need to clean some of the stuff out of there." Gibbs explained, directing his reply towards the M.E..

"A good reason to finally make the room liveable again."

"Duck..."

"It wasn't you with the pain in the back due to sleeping on your couch, Jethro." Ducky reminded his friend of his team's rumpled appearances after they had crashed at his place.

"I'll find out soon enough," muttered Gibbs, slightly annoyed at the reprimand, "Ziva will get my bedroom for the moment. She won't snoop around in there, at least," while he said this his eyes were fixed on Tony, who tried to look as innocent as possible at the comment.

"_How does he know I would most likely snoop...," _the teenager wondered silently.

"Once the attic is habitable, Tony can move up there and Ziva can move into the spare room. Should only take a few days."

"You want to alter your attic?"

"Me? Nah, I'll get some people to do it. Won't even cost me anything."

"Jethro!"

Gibbs just rewarded his friend with a smug smile which made Ducky laugh.

"You sly fox, Gibbs," Abby exclaimed but was interrupted as Gibbs let out a sound between a growl and shriek.

"Abby!"

"What?"

"My dear, you can't give a small child Caf-Pow." Ducky scolded, now having noticed the scientists' actions also.

"She's doing that for the past hour," voiced Tony under his breath.

"Hey!" Abby, feeling betrayed, pinched the teenager.

"Ouch! Hey!"

"You weren't supposed to tell him."

"If you know it was wrong why did you do it?"

"It's not wrong!"

"It is."

"Stop it! Both of you," Gibbs finally barked, having taken the energy drink out of Mini-Ziva's hand while the rest was busy arguing about who to blame.

"Tony, come on!" He snapped, throwing his agent's jacket at Tony before he helped Mini-Ziva into hers and lifting her gently off the table, before he walked out of the lab with the little girl, leaving Tony to follow the pair.

"Poor Jethro, he'll have one grumpy and tired girl once the caffeine wears off," Ducky shook his head at Abby who looked remorseful after the team.

**TBC...**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Previously**_

_"Tony, come on!" He snapped, throwing his agent's jacket at Tony before he helped Mini-Ziva into hers and lifting her gently off the table, before he walked out of the lab with the little girl, leaving Tony to follow the pair._

"_Poor Jethro, he'll have one grumpy and tired girl once the caffeine wears off," Ducky shook his head at Abby who looked remorseful after the team._

* * *

**(Shopping mall)**

After having spent the better part of the afternoon in some furniture stores and getting everything that the shrunken agents would need to make their rooms more suitable for their ages, the three of them now stood at the entrance of the mall.

"Here," Gibbs gave Tony a mobile phone, having come to the decision that he needed to show his trust towards the younger man, "That's yours. My number is programmed. I'll let you go by yourself. If you find clothes you want to buy, call me. I'll be there in five. Clothes only! Shoes too, but no other stuff. We'll take care of it once we regroup. Got it?"

Stunned Tony could only nod.

"That's if you want to go by yourself," Gibbs checked.

"No, no," Tony hastily sputtered out, "That's cool."

"Good," smirked the agent and went with Mini-Ziva into the direction of a kids store.

* * *

**(Evening – Gibbs House)**

"Hey Gibbs!"

"Hey."

"I'm really sorry about the .." She was interrupted as Gibbs held a finger to her lips.

"Never apologize," he sternly told her, continuing more cheerfully afterward, "Besides she's your problem for the evening."

"Right," Abby grimaced.

Yesterday they made the decision to avoid any complications for the moment. So Abby would come by every evening to get Mini-Ziva ready for bed. At least till the little girl would finally ask the dreaded question about where her parents where and why she was taken care of by strangers - who didn't even spoke her language.

Gibbs already knew from Ziva's file, which Vance had provided, that the situation surely wasn't new to the little girl but he didn't wanted to lie to her by telling her they were ordered to do so.

"Where is she?"

"Couch."

"Heyaaaaaa," the goth called out loud and happily, even though she knew that Mini-Ziva wouldn't hear her.

As she walked to the couch, she was met by a worn out little girl, who could barely hold her eyes open.

Grinning Abby squatted next to the beat girl, "Bathtime," she signed smiling.

To her surprise Mini-Ziva crawled quickly off the couch and then ran as fast as her little legs would carry her towards the entrance of the kitchen.

"Hey!" Abby narrowed her eyebrows in irritation and slowly walked to the little girl.

Mini-Ziva gave her a disapproving look, shaking her head widely and making her curls fly.

"What's going on? Can't you keep it down?" Tony yawned from the bottom of the stairs, dressed only in boxers since he already had went to bed.

"Little disagreement over taking a bath," smirked Gibbs, having come to rest against the door frame of his living room.

Meanwhile Mini-Ziva kept running away from Abby as the goth tried to come near her.

"Gibbs!" Abby called, finally to frustrated to continue.

"Yes?"

"Help?" She meekly asked.

While the scientist had turned around to speak to Gibbs, Mini-Ziva had made her way over, closer to Tony. Her brown eyes scanning over his posture before she ultimately stood on the same step on where the teenager sat.

"Guess you don't like to take a bath right now, huh?" He whispered, tugging playfully on her shirt sleeve in order to make her sit next to him.

As she did so, the little girl laid her hand on Tony's tight, cowering close to him. As if someone had flipped a switch all energy seemed to leave her small frame, leaving her bare to enormous yawns while her eyes started to blink heavily.

Gibbs watched Mini-Ziva's actions as Abby had started a speech about taking better care of what she would give the little girl to eat or drink next time.

"Abs," he interrupted her ramblings, "Maybe we should forget about the bath tonight."

He grinned at her and pointed to the stairs.

When Abby turned around she saw Mini-Ziva seemingly resting comfortably against Tony, her head and most of her upper body lying across his lap.

Even Tony somehow had managed to fall asleep, his head resting on the stair railing.

"Aww," whispered Abby, "You got a camera nearby?"

"Kitchen counter," smirked Gibbs, looking on as Abby fetched the camera.

"Wow, I didn't thought you had such a modern one."

Gibbs glared at her, "Bought it today," he grumbled, a small smile on his face. _"More like grabbed it on the way out of the store, without really looking at its functions or the price tag." _

"There are already a lot of pictures on it, for buying it today."

"Most of them were made by Tony. He's in love with the 'new' technology." The agent rolled his eyes.

"Explains the pictures of teenage girls," laughed Abby quietly as she flipped through the photos before taking a few from the pair on the steps.

"Let's get them to bed," commented Gibbs and picked Mini-Ziva up, careful not to wake her.

Once he had carried her upstairs and was shooed out of the girls' room by Abby, he went to get his agent.

"Tony?" Gibbs shook the shoulder of the teenager.

"Hm?"

"Come on, go back to bed."

"Oh." Tony rubbed his eyes before he dragged himself back upstairs.

"How did it end?" He asked as he got back under his bed covers.

"Both of you fell asleep." Gibbs smirked, having followed Tony to his room, "Abby's changing the kid into PJ's. No bath tonight."

"Lucky girl," yawned the teenager, slowly drifting off again.

The team leader was nearly out of the room when Tony called him.

"Yeah, Tony?"

"It's weekend, right?"

"Yes." Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"So... We can sleep in?" Tony asked hopeful.

"Sure. Don't see why not."

"Good. Thought you might live military-like? Up at 5 am, no matter which day," the teenager admitted.

"You're not at a military academy here. Get some sleep, DiNozzo," Gibbs laughed and shut the door behind him.

* * *

Outside in the hallway he was met by Abby.

"She's sleeping."

"Makes two of them."

"Was it bad?" Abby asked, referring to the caffeinated girl.

"You know how it feels to be high on caffeine and then fall deep once it wears off, Abs," Gibbs gently led her downstairs.

"That bad," commented Abby smitten.

By now they had reached the front door.

"Tony said he was a terror teen but his younger self is behaving quite good," inquired the scientist as she shrugged her coat back on.

"Give him some time and that will change once he has settled in more," smirked Gibbs, returning Abby's initiated hug.

**TBC...**


	15. Chapter 15

_**Previously**_

"_Tony said he was a terror teen but his younger self is behaving quite good," inquired the scientist as she shrugged her coat back on._

"_Give him some time and that will change once he has settled in more," smirked Gibbs, returning Abby's initiated hug._

* * *

**(Sunday midday)**

Gibbs was in the kitchen, preparing lunch, when he felt someone tug on his pants leg.

As he looked down he was greeted by a pair of brown eyes, looking at him uncertainly.

"Hey," he smiled at the little girl.

'Slept well?' he signed, lowering himself to be at eye level with her.

Mini-Ziva shook her head tentatively. Concerned, he put his hand on her forehead.

"_No fever,"_ he thought, taking in the girl's appearances. Her hair was slightly matted to her head and her clothes seemed to be damp too.

'Bad dream?'

As she showed no reaction of either admitting or denying it, his eyes drifted momentarily to the kitchen table where the bottle with the pain killers stood.

'Pain?'

Reluctantly Mini-Ziva nodded, her bottom lip starting to quiver ever so slightly.

Gibbs reacted instantly and lightly stroke her cheek in what he hoped to be a comforting manner before he engulfed her into his arms.

"_I woke her a few hours ago to take the medications, they should still do their work,"_ the gray-haired pondered.

Humming slightly he got back on his feet, with Mini-Ziva safely tugged close to him.

"Tony." He called the teenager who was currently watching TV in his living room.

"Yeah?" Tony shouted.

"Could you bring me a glass of water over?"

"Why can't you get it yourself?" Snapped the shrunken senior field agent.

"Tony!"

Grumbling the teenager made his way over.

"Wha.." he stopped mid-shout when he noticed Mini-Ziva's appearance.

"What happened?" Tony asked, slightly concerned as he did the task he was given.

"Yesterdays caffeine high, pain meds who don't seem to work correctly today, new surroundings, sleeping too long, being away from family - you take a pick," Gibbs listed a couple of reasons as he made Mini-Ziva take the medication.

"She'll be alright though?" Tony checked.

"Yeah." Gibbs assured, mentally thinking of what to do next.

"_A calming bath,"_ he decided inwardly, checking the time he noticed that Abby would be with her nuns by now, _"Guess we got no other choice, it's just you and me, Ziva."_

"Watch the food, will ya?" Gibbs asked Tony as he carried Mini-Ziva upstairs.

"Sure."

* * *

As Gibbs run her a bath, Mini-Ziva sized him up from the counter where he had placed her.

Feeling her eyes on him, he turned to her and started to sign.

'Abby's busy. I'll help you. Ok?'

Barely noticeable she gave him a small nod. Gibbs noticed her reluctance and tried to make her more comfortable.

He perched himself on the edge of the tub across from the counter, unconsciously giving her some advantage over him as he needed to look up to meet her eyes.

'Do you know why you are here?' He asked, signing slowly.

She momentarily furrowed her eyebrows and Gibbs was about to repeat his question in case that she hadn't understood it completely, when she signed back, 'Parents... busy.'

Gibbs sighed relieved, _"Good start,"_ he thought before continuing to ask her questions.

'You will stay with me for a while, ok?"

Mini-Ziva worried her bottom lip and directed her eyes to her lap, wringing her hands.

Her reaction made Gibbs stretch his hand out to her, gently lifting her chin back up.

'You miss your home.! Gibbs signed.

"Ken," she croaked, nodding.

The gray-haired agent noted the foreign word mentally, before he tried a different approach.

'Did you ever saw a boat?'

"Ken," sniffed Mini-Ziva, whipping her nose with the hem of her sleeve.

'I got one downstairs.'

The little girl frowned at him and shook her head, not having seen any traces of water earlier today, let alone a boat.

'I'll show you, later,' he promised smiling and ruffled her hair gently, before he turned back to the tub.

"Lo," Mini-Ziva exclaimed a few notes too high as he was about to add some bath essentials into the water.

Confused Gibbs turned back to the small child, seeing her lift her arms, indicating that she wanted to get down from the counter.

As he followed her demand and set her on the floor she went over to the edge of the tub, indicating to a purple bottle which stood close to the tiled wall.

"Ah, I nearly got it all wrong, didn't I, Kid?" chuckled Gibbs amused.

Just this moment Tony came bursting into the room.

"Tony?"

"I heard her scream," he said out of breath.

Mini-Ziva pointed from Tony to the bath.

"Either she's trying to tell ya I'm just filling a bath for her or to take a bath too."

**(Some time later)**

Wrapping a large towel around his youngest agent, he lifted her and set her for the second time that day on the bathroom counter.

He then carefully took the oil-soaked wads out of her ears.

All the time Mini-Ziva observed his every move, only flinching once when Gibbs rubbed her hair dry and accidentally came in contact with her left ear.

"Ya can't be sleepy again," chuckled Gibbs as a large yawn escaped Mini-Ziva. The bath having calmed her to an extent which made her want to get back to sleep.

* * *

**(Lunchtime)**

"Will Mexler go to jail?"

"Yeah, not for what he had done to you though, since it would draw attention to both of you and no one wants that.

After I'm done with him, Monday in Interrogation, we'll have enough proof to lock him up for the murder of his fellow scientist."

"Good," Tony munched.

"First swallow, then talk," smirked Gibbs.

"Sorry."

"Don't say that, sign of weakness."

"One of your rules?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. Can I watch the interrogation?"

Gibbs nodded, "If you keep out of the way."

The rest of lunch was spent in silence.

* * *

By evening McGee had arrived at the Gibbs' household. After a discussion in the multi media store about wether or not to buy certain DVDs, Gibbs had called his 3rd agent in order to bring Tony to his own apartment to collect the DVDs there.

"Hey Boss."

"McGee."

"Finally!" Tony exclaimed from the couch and made his way to the door.

"Make sure that he doesn't take any GSM magazines with him," Gibbs instructed McGee.

"What's GSM?" Tony butted in as he slipped his jacket on.

"And keep the rating on the DVDs in sight," Gibbs continued, total unimpressed at the interruption.

"Will do, Boss," smirked McGee and led the way back to his car.

Once the door was closed, Gibbs sighed in relief. With Tony being occupied for the next few hours and Ziva quietly playing in her room, he had finally some time for himself.

Briefly he thought about starting on a new boat but then he remembered the little girl upstairs and that he couldn't just leave for the basement without showing her where he was.

So instead he settled back onto his couch. Feet propped up on the coffee table he soon gave into exhaustion.

**TBC...**

* * *

A/N: lo = no / ken = yes


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: Caution: Violence ahead. Don't like? Then skip to next chapter.  
**_

* * *

_**Previously**_

_Once the door was closed, Gibbs sighed in relief. With Tony being occupied for the next few hours and Ziva quietly playing in her/his room, he had finally some time for himself._

_Briefly he thought about starting on a new boat but then he remembered the little girl upstairs and that he couldn't just leave for the basement without showing her where he was._

_So instead he settled back onto his couch, feet propped on the coffee table, he soon gave into exhaustion._

* * *

**(Interrogation)**

Monday came quickly. Too quickly for some of the Gibbs' household. While Gibbs was wide awake since early in the night, the two kids were very grumpy as the agent made them leave their warm beds to stand up before the sun was even up.

Being in haste to finally get over with the case, Gibbs provided the teenager with coffee before he brought Tony and the once again sleeping Mini-Ziva to NCIS.

Now the team leader was with Mexler in Interrogation while Tony watched the whole scene from Observation.

Since Mexler had been put into the room hours before Gibbs even arrived, the gray-haired agent didn't needed to wait long before the scientist lost his nerve as Gibbs stared at him.

"He was an idiot," scoffed Mexler, referring to his fellow scientist.

"Didn't have your level of IQ?"

"Tried to sell our invention to the same country," clarified Mexler.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"He contacted two people and told each that he's making a special offer. That no one else would know about the machine. But of course those two people where in contact with each other. They found out that our offer wasn't so special after all. His mistake had cost us millions!"

"Enough for you to kill him?" The arrogance of the scientist made Gibbs clench his fists under the table.

"He would have killed himself with those cigarettes. I only speed up the progress."

"So you killed him."

"Yeah, it was too easy though."

The team leader momentarily looked behind him at the mirror, giving Vance, who was in Observation too, the signal to cut the recording.

Mexler noticed the loss of the red light on the surveillance camera and laughed.

"Now I'm scared," he said sarcastically before he became serious, "Your agents. You want to know what happened."

The proud grin on his face made Gibbs wish to be able to hit him and whip the grin off his face. Instead he just narrowed his eyes.

"We already know what happened."

"You want to know why," grinned Mexler.

"You could have run," remarked Gibbs, "Or settled for denying everything."

"Maybe, but with staying in the shadows no one except the buyers would know of my great intelligence."

A sly smile plastered on his face he continued, "Are the agents even alive? That girl was in the beam pretty long," he chuckled, regarding the man opposite the table, "She must be or you would have lost control already. Is it hard for you? Seeing your agents like that?  
In my experiments I could never actually proof if the subjects lost their memory too. I didn't really care but I'm curious now, Agent Gibbs."

Mexler leaned forward, his arms folded on the table, "Do they remember? Are they independent or just like a bunch vegetables? Empty shells."

Letting his anger take over, Gibbs suddenly charged forward. With an inhuman strength he threw the table sideways towards the door and had his hand tightly wrapped around Mexler's throat in an instant.

"Never speak of my agents like this again." He managed to growl out through gritted teeth.

"I see," Mexler smirked despite the growing lack of oxygen, "You're missing your bitch, with who you can hop into bed? Or did you prefer the male?" Mexler managed to squeak out.

On the other side of the two way mirror, Vance was too shocked to proceed what was happening in the other room.

Gibbs' blood pressure rose upon hearing the doctor's words. While he had tried his hardest to control himself before, in order to prevent Mexler's death at his hands, his brain suddenly shut down.

Driven with rage he manhandled Mexler into the wall, "You'll regret having said that," he whispered into the doctor's ear.

In the next second he hauled Mexler's head away from the wall before slamming it back against the wall.

Mexler's cry of pain was drowned out by the sickening crack of bones breaking.

"Agent Gibbs!"

Gibbs growled and let Mexler drop to the ground.

"He deserved it," muttered Gibbs as he passed Vance on his way out of Interrogation, leaving Mexler to gasp for air on the ground.

"I know," Vance agreed, smirking slightly once they were alone in the hallway.

The Director took the toothpick out of his mouth, "But I'll need to punish you for your assault on that bastard."

Gibbs huffed in response.

"I'm sure you can use the time off to get your agents settled," winked Vance, walking off to find an agent who would escort Mexler to jail and most likely to the hospital, too.

"That was … intense," Tony paused, having come out of the observation room.

"I lost control," growled Gibbs.

"But he deserved it."

"No." Gibbs looked the younger man into the eyes, "Violence is no answer. Makes ya not better than people like Mexler."

"But," the teenager wanted to disagree.

"If and only IF you feel the need to be violent do it only in self-protection. Never because you let the anger get the better of you." Gibbs said in a sharp tone.

While having totally forgotten about the under-aged observer before, he now switched back into the role of a guide. Not wanting the teenager to get false morals from him.

"Okay." Tony agreed quietly.

"Let's go home, we got some rooms to redecorate."

The teenager grinned, "About that, can I install the TV and DVD system from my flat in my room?"

**TBC...**


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: Heya^^ I normally don't do this, BUT I'm answering some questions I got via reviews/messages:**_

_**The other scientist, who got killed?  
**He was the reason why Tony and Ziva visited Mexler in the first place. _

_**How does Ziva know ASL when nearly every country has a different sign language?**  
I'm happy someone noticed.^^ Good thing that I thought about this too before even writing it. Answer will be in this chapter. And I think it's a pretty good one. =)_

_**What did Ducky gave Ziva?**  
Find out in __"The Adventures of the Mini-Gibblets"._

_**What did Mini-Ziva draw?  
**Not 100% sure yet, but I might put the answer into __"The Adventures of the Mini-Gibblets"._

_**Mini-Ziva having fighting skills? Like knife-throwing?  
**No knife throwing, cause I never ever met a 3/4-year old who could do such precise thing (Ever tried to let a 3-year-old play with a game console? It just doesn't work at that age...) BUT there will be something else mentioned... You guess when and where._

_**Little Gibbs?**  
No, defo no... Need him to be an adult. (laughs)_

_**Shrinking Tony further?**  
Nope, he needs to be a teen so that I can get him into those 'teenage moments'... _

_**Any Tiva in this story?  
**Might be, might not be. IF you squint you may see some Tiva in the following chapter, but if you don't want Tiva you won't see it.

* * *

_

_**Sooo... Enough of this, (are you excited about "The Adventures of the Mini-Gibblets" now?) here comes the last part of 'Machine of Evil'. **_

_**Enjoy^^ And don't forget the REVIEWS! (Pretty please?)**_

* * *

**(8 months later)**

The search for an antidote was canceled only a few weeks after the faithful incident. A research assistant had leaked information about their research to the press, who called the whole thing unethical and against nature. Luckily no one from outside ever found out that animals and people actually experienced those rhetorical shifting in age.

After the leak of information, the fact that the shrunken agents would return to normal without given an antidote, had made the decision to stop any research easy for the powers that be.

**xxxxxxxx**

"Hey my ninja," Tony greeted cheerfully as he entered his partner's temporarily sickroom.

"You have come to get me out of here, yes?" Ziva asked him while tying her shoelaces.

"Yup."

"Good, then let us leave." She said and left Tony standing in the middle of the room. Leaving him also to get the small bag, which Abby had hastily packed for Ziva a few hours ago.

While Tony had returned to his normal self three weeks earlier, Ziva only woke up as her 28-year-old this morning.

With the Italian having slight health problems for the first two days after changing back, the team had brought Ziva to Bethesda to get checked out - much to her displeasure.

**xxxxxxxx**

"You are really feeling good?" Tony finally asked once they were standing side by side in the elevator of NCIS headquarters.

"Yes. Why should I not?"

"I felt like crap," he flipped the emergency switch and turned to Ziva.

"Gibbs was suddenly away for a couple of days. After it, I never saw..." she paused and furrowed her brow, "_You_ again."

"So you remember the past few months, too?"

"As you do," Ziva squinted at her partner.

Tony smiled down at her, being a few inches taller than her, "I remember when you..."

"Ah!" She held one hand up, "Let us – never speak of it again?"

"You won't tell, if I don't? I like that," Tony agreed smiling and flipped the switch to restart the elevator, before resuming his stand beside her.

"Pinky promise?" He asked cheekily just before they reached the desired level and looked sideways, gauging her expression.

"Ouch," Tony yelped loudly and rubbed the spot on his arm where her fist had connected with his muscle.

"I do NOT need that, cause we both know what I WILL do to you if you tell someone," Ziva told him in a serious matter of fact tone, causing both to burst out laughing in the end.

"You were a cute kid, Ziva David," the senior field agent mumbled grinning as he slipped out of the elevator.

"I believe the term is 'you are not so bad yourself', yes?" She replied saucily.

"Got that one right," he gave her a small grin, leading them to the team's area where the others where already waiting for them.

**xxxxxxxx**

"There they are!"

"Abby!" Gibbs, McGee and Ducky warned her in unison while Palmer just looked on amused.

"Be prepared for another round of bear hugs," Tony whispered to his partner as they entered the team's area.

Not three seconds later Ziva was nearly bowled down by the force of impact, if it wasn't for Tony steadying both woman.

Over the goth's shoulder, Tony mouthed a 'Told ya so' as Ziva could only roll her eyes at him, not even trying to get Abby to loosen the embrace, knowing that it would be no use anyway.

"Abs," Gibbs finally interfered, "You're crushing her. Let her breath."

With a smile on her face Abby led go of the former assassin.

"I didn't hurt you, right?" the scientist checked grinning, upon which Ziva could only shake her head.

"May I?" the team leader asked somewhat playfully as he now stood in front of his once again grown up agent.

"Of course," Ziva grinned and was enveloped in a hug which could easily reveal Abby's.

"Ya 'kay?" he whispered into her ear.

"Yes. More than okay. Thank you, Gibbs."

"Good," he gently kissed her cheek before releasing her to the mercy of the rest of the team.

"It is good to see you again, my dear," Doctor Mallard told her as he stepped forward and hugged her lightly.

"I think it's good to be back, too." She told him with a small frown on her face, eliciting a chuckle out of the older man, while Jimmy took his turn to hug her.

McGee grinned at his female partner, "Though I enjoyed Mini-You, I wouldn't swap her for you."

"I am glad to know this," she smirked at him, before drawing her friend into a tight embrace.

Tim was momentarily stunned at her move but soon relaxed and returned the hug with the same force.

"You should have seen your temporarily replacements! They were horrible," Abby chipped in from beside them.

"Oh yes, Jethro made them run!"

"Duck."

"They never lasted long," Palmer confirmed with a grin.

As the conversation went on Tony and Ziva shared a silent communication. Both thinking about what they had experienced the past months and how much mischief they went through.

**xxxxxxxx**

"You know you could have told me you know how to sign!" Exclaimed Abby and hugged her friend anew as everyone had quieted down.

"Abby, I have not know how to sign."

"But..."

"I have forgotten most of it when I got older." Ziva explained, gesticulating widely with her hands.

"Oh." Abby exhaled, squinting her eyes, "You know how to use ASL when you were younger though."

"Yes. A friend, playbuddy?," Ziva questioned frowning.

"Playmate," corrected Tony.

"Playmate," repeated Ziva, shooting a grateful look to her partner, "She was deaf. She would teach me every so often. When she moved back to America, where she originally came from, I did not had any use for ASL again."

'Too bad,' signed Abby.

'Yes, it is,' Ziva signed back.

"You remember!" The goth squealed, nearly squeezing the air out of her friend as she hugged her.

Tony screwed his eyes shut, breathing deeply, "Great, you couldn't keep it to yourself. Could you, Zee-vah?"

"She tricked me!" the Israeli – soon to be American - defended laughing, trying to break the bear hug she was captured in.

"That's really interesting," mentioned Ducky while the team leader looked sternly at his two – now adult - agents.

"We don't remember every minute of it," Tony tried to soften the truth, hoping that his partial loss of memory was identical to his partner's.

"Like when you took MY car for a ride more than one time and finally set it against a tree in the end?" Gibbs questioned, making the others snicker.

"Uhm," Tony gulped visibly, "You made me work for the repairs. Isn't that punishment enough?" The senior agent knew that he was trying his luck. After all he had played dumb the last few weeks.

"Yeah," smirked Gibbs, after what felt like hours for Tony, "But you never finished painting the garage."

"We'll be there on Sunday, Boss," sighed his agent rejected, looking directly at his female partner when he said the first part.

"We?"

"You," he pointed a finger at Ziva, "Broke more things in Gibbs' house than I did."

"She wasn't a 16-year-old who should have had the sense to stay out of trouble," countered Gibbs, drawing the woman in question into his side.

"She painted the walls when you told her not to!" Tony reminded his boss with a too wide smile on his face.

"Hm, he's right with that one," the gray-haired agent looked at his female agent, tightening his hold as she tried to make an escape.

"Gibbs!"

"As much as I love my guest room in dark purple and white, it could use another coat of paint."

Ziva shoot Tony a dark glare, making the agent slightly nervous.

"_If you want to play dirty, fine with me,"_ she vowed inwardly, giving her partner a smirk which made Tony wish he hadn't said anything.

* * *

**(Sunday)**

"Gibbs?"

"Yes, Ziver?"

Momentarily taken aback by the use of his nickname for her, she stopped.

"You have not called me that in a long time," whispered Ziva.

"Yeah," agreed Gibbs, temporarily caught in the past too, "What were you going to say?"

"I was taught to be careful and to expect danger to be just around the next corner," she started, trying to put her thoughts in coherent words.

"I've noticed."

"I do not remember everything of the past eight months but I remember one thing clearly," she confided to him in low voice.

"What is it?" Gibbs quietly asked.

"That I did not felt the need to check my surroundings every passing moment. That I felt save and cared for."

"Even when..." he trailed off, referring to something that happened the day he interrogated Mexler.

"It was stupid," Ziva said hastily, becoming serious, "I meant what I said earlier."

"I'm glad you did," he stated, gently kissing her temple.

"You know, we all will continue to keep you save. So hold that feeling," Gibbs whispered in her ear, making her smile.

**xxxxxxx**

"Do I still get the boat?" Ziva asked innocently.

"Only if you keep helping to build it, David."

* * *

**~ Fin ~**

* * *

**Oops... Another question raised? Or two? Or maybe 3, 4, 5...? **

**Join me on the evil side (laughs), it's fun.^^ **


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